


Courtship of the Lucky Princeling

by elzierav



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, Flirting, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Iron Dragon's Charms, M/M, Polyamory, Rating May Change, and wish they had more, flirting competition, himbos in love, mentions of harems, they all have two hands, this is pure chaos
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:28:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26449294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elzierav/pseuds/elzierav
Summary: Prince Clover of Argus arrives in Atlas for an arranged political marriage. Mildly terrified President James Ironwood,  rebellious Crown Prince Qrow Branwen who's there for moral support, and his boyfriend Duke Taiyang of Patch who's just along for the ride all catch a glimpse of that himbo and those arms and decide the courtship competition is on. Shenanigans yada yada you know the drill.
Relationships: Clover Ebi/James Ironwood, Clover Ebi/Taiyang Xiao Long, James Ironwood/Taiyang Xiao Long, Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi, Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi/James Ironwood/Taiyang Xiao Long, Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood, Qrow Branwen/Taiyang Xiao Long
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	Courtship of the Lucky Princeling

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SykoShadowRose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SykoShadowRose/gifts).



> this is to make up for the lack of Muffin in my secret dancing monkey fic. So here ya go
> 
> also for Syko cuz she's awesome and pioneered the Iron Dragon's Charms tag and is super hardworking so she deserves all the Muffin stuff and all the good stuff

“Firstly, nope, absolutely not. And secondly, you look great, Jimmy,” Prince Qrow mutters without even looking up from his work. 

James can only watch wide-eyed as the Crown Prince’s long, slender fingers delicately unwrap the bandages around the blackbird’s left wing. The deft digits caress each feather, pale skin almost pearly in stark contrast with soot-shaded feathers, verifying their suitable regrowth. Crimson eyes narrow as the bird folds and unfolds its healing wing, first with Qrow’s aid, then alone. 

And flapping faster and faster, hesitantly then confidently, it eventually takes rocky flight to land on a nearby branch. The bird’s movements remain haphazard and unsteady, but James’s heart still flutters in amazement at the sight of the progressive recovery. Within his pristine white glove, the fingers of his right hand shiver slightly - maybe that spectacle hit a bit close to home.

“Thank you,” he says as the Prince finally turns to face him, the evening sunlight highlighting the gray streaks in his raven hair. “But please, I beg you to hear me out, Your Highness.”

“Nope,  _ President Ironwood _ ,” the royal shoots back, for two can play at the title game. “I’m not coming back to Atlas, whatever excuse you have to offer this time. I don’t even know why you bothered to drag your metal ass all the way from your cold gods-forsaken place to here. You won’t convince me. When you go back there tell the Council that they can go shove it...”

“Qrow, this isn’t about your return to court. The Council and I respect and commend your decision you made to retire from public ceremonial life after the war ended, in favour of founding and taking care of this bird sanctuary here in Patch, away from everything. However...”

“However what? What does the Council want this time?” Qrow’s voice rasped as his eyes flared with a hint of annoyance. “And why did they send you as their messenger? They already have you as their little puppet, as their nice shiny tin man to act as their figurehead while they hold the real power in this Kingdom. Why would they need me as another puppet?”

Holding his hands still behind his back, the President draws a deep breath.

“There have been tensions between your Kingdom - our Kingdom - and the Principality of Argus. As you know, Argus may be small, but...”

“But holds a key location militarily and commercially, at the crossroads between trade routes in Remnant, bla bla bla,” Qrow finished for him. “I’m not dumb, just not interested in pretending to do politics while not actually having the power to make a change. But what’s up with Argus?”

“They haven’t reacted well to our embargo period following the Beacon crisis for which our military was falsely accused. There have been talks of excluding our commercial ships from their waters.”

“So this is war again? So I get to be useful to my Kingdom again, finally? Wait here, I’ll go call upon my royal airships and tell Tai to prepare my battle gear...”

“There is no need to call the Duke of Patch,” James replies patiently. “The Council has negotiated its way into a peaceful conclusion, provided that a marriage can be arranged to seal the fate of both nations.”

The wind ruffles Qrow’s hair as he releases a deep sigh, obliviously petting one of the refuge’s magpies that fluttered its way to his lap. The result is a rather adorable scene, and James practically has to hold back his hand from darting out and fixing the feathery strands of the Prince’s hair set astray by the breeze. 

“It’s not with Cordo, is it?” Qrow drawls, a glint of hope in his voice that only Jimmy’s ears can detect, after years of knowing the royal, of fighting alongside him as an ally, as a friend, as sometimes more. 

“No, the Governor does not wish to be implicated in this political union. But the Argosi royal family...”

“Dumb or ugly?”

James has known Qrow for so long, but sometimes the man’s quips remain a mystery to him. A mystery he craves to elucidate, a mystery that never ceases to amaze him.

“... What?”

“The Argosi royal that our Council wants you to marry to save our Kingdom. Are they dumb or ugly?”

“I wouldn’t qualify Prince Clover of Argus with either of these terms, your Highness, but from a very brief first impression he does come across as a bit of a brat.”

“You’d have made a fine politician if you weren’t so honest,” the Prince teases, a small smile gracing his pale features. “But then what’s the problem? Why don’t you just get hitched with him and be done with it, rather than freaking out and running to me hoping I’ll come to your rescue?”

“Qrow, I assure you that I’m not freaking out and...”

“I’ve known you long enough to recognise the Jimmy version of freaking out. Now tell me what’s eating you.”

A nervous silence echoes before Ironwood says anything.

“First, the fact I have no royal blood may mean I’m not enough to marry a Prince, since I was elected President solely based on my popularity as General after we won the war, and on that front you would make a much more suitable party for the Prince of Argus. Second… the… condition of my body resulting from my war injuries is something that may turn off my potential betrothed...”

“Oh, shut up, Jimmy. We’ve gone through this a thousand times. Your prosthetics don’t make you any less of a man. If anything, the fact you survived and retained your courage and devotion for your Kingdom even after all you’ve been through makes you more… more everything. More you. And anyone who fails to see that is dumb and ugly and unworthy of marrying you.”

Qrow’s right, they’ve been through this a thousand times, of course they have. But it still hurts just as much as the first time. Of course it does. The war is done, the wounds are gone, only scars and prosthetics remain now. The enemy was defeated, but the nightmares… the nightmares never go away.

“Sometimes I wish I’d proposed to you when we were younger, when the war was just over,” James confesses, staring down at the polished tip of his dress shoes.

The time was never right, he could never convince himself that Qrow would accept him in his entirety, in all his broken entirety. The time was never right, and now they’re running out of time...

“Why, to appease a tiny handful of royalists who didn’t have faith in the new government? Where’s the fun in that? Besides, back then I was already, and am still, dating Tai, and knowing you ten years ago, you wouldn’t have appreciated sharing.”

“I had to be in full control of everything back then… but believe it or not, these days I’m not even in control of what’s going on with my body, and which part will be the next one to rust.”

“Great, so now we can start a harem for you so that everyone in there can shower you with cuddles and remind you of how not shitty you are, despite what you believe.”

“May I remind you that harems are illegal? Besides, look who’s talking,” James lets out with a small chuckle.

“... Touché.”

James knows that Qrow sees himself as unfit to rule after all he's been through, unworthy of the public attention he received as a member of the royal family and as a decorated war hero. James knows that, and that's why he knows his duty is to step in and be the figurehead instead, step in and shoulder all the public scrutiny and criticism for everything the Council does, for his country and for Qrow. And if even Ironwood's reputation is dragged through the mud in the process, it will be worth it if it means that the Prince can spend another day spared from the public eye, spared from the people's blame.

“So does that mean you accept?” the President prompts hopefully.

“I can help you meet the guy, just because it'd be hilarious seeing that with my own eyes. But after that, I promise nothing. You know how stuff ends up when I make promises.”

Qrow doesn't need to say any more. James knows. He knows about Queen Summer. He knows about Dame Amber. He knows about each one of Qrow's promises, those promises he so dearly wanted to hold. But he still wants to trust Qrow, because after all they've lost, all they have left from the good old days is each other.

"We'll see, but knowing I have your support in this matter is more than enough, and I'm sure the Council will be elated to hear it."

“I don't give a damn about the stupid Council. Just doing for the peace, and doing it for you. Y’know, I really mean it when I said you looked good. The years have been kind to you, and I really like the look of that beard.”

It’s a good thing for James that he grew out that beard, because it’s hiding the blush that blossoms over his cheeks right now. If he or Qrow didn't have some bratty princeling to marry for the good of the kingdom these days, Ironwood would have stepped closer, closed the gap between them, the nervous space and silence between them. But if he inched closer, if he embraced the Prince into his arms, he doesn't know if he would be able to stop there, if they would be able to stop at all, and as always, the good of the kingdom must come first.

"You came all the way to Patch with your private jet, right?"

"Even though I told her it wasn't necessary, the Lady Superintendent insisted that it was protocol and easier work for my security detail. So yes, my ship landed just outside your sanctuary."

"Supposing I flew back with you, would you have extra space for Tai? And a couple of… boxes? I promise they won't puke everywhere or be too loud on the flight."

For once, James is confident that promise can be kept, for boxes don't usually vomit or make noise… until he recalls what kind of place he's in, what it shelters, and what the containers are likely to contain.

"...Yes, the Duke of Patch may fly with us... as your chaperone, I suppose. And yes, you two may bring Zwei."

"And Harbinger?"

"Harbinger?" The President quirks an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Harbie! Harbie baby! Come say hello to Jimmy."

Qrow excitedly claps his hands, prompting a large jet black corvid to find its perch upon his shoulder, bouncing sideways in tiny steps until it can gently nuzzle into his ear before James's rather bemused eyes. 

"Helloooo," the crow caws, cocking its feathered head.

"Greetings, Harbinger, I trust you're doing well," the President replies, bowing in turn.

"Nevermore!" The bird exclaims before flapping his wings and nimbly nipping at a shiny strand of silver hair on Ironwood's head, figuratively and literally painfully reminding him he isn't so young any more.

"She's a good girl, she likes you already," the Prince explains with that crooked smile that makes Jimmy's heart melt ever so slightly. "That was meant as a kiss."

Barely a twitch of James's eyebrows can betray his skepticism as he responds after a short pause.

"I suppose she won't take too much space on the flight. But please refrain from bringing any more pets, my ship is hardly a menagerie and you already have more animal sidekicks than the standard Disney princess."

"But what about Muffin?" Qrow pleads with a small pout, the evening sunlight gracing his vermilion eyes with a vulnerable glint.

"Alright. Muffin."

Ironwood has fought many a battle, won many a war. But never has he capitulated so easily.

**Author's Note:**

> This is likely to get spicy in later chapters.....  
> Leave a comment below if you have any complaints/requests/ideas/etc for spice and shenanigans between those poor boys  
> Hope y'all enjoy!


End file.
